Seventeen Forever
by addictedtovamps
Summary: When Claire gets sick, Shane goes into over-protective boyfriend mode. After she begins hallucinating, she's convinced that she's seeing something that might happen to her, and it scares her. Shane's freaked out, too. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1 Surprises

**Seventeen Forever.**

Author's Note; I don't own ANY of this. I'm just a huge fan of Rachel Caine, and I've taken the liberty to write my own version of a story. Enjoy. =D

**Chapter 1; Surprises.**

Okay, today was a bad day. No, not bad. Horrific. Irritating. My personal hell-hole on Earth, to put it simply. Hot, angry tears were sliding down my face as I knelt on the ground, snatching up all my books and papers and replacing them in my bag. I waited for Eve to come get me as I continued to sit there on the ground, trying to calm myself. I hurt all over, my head was hurting, and that usually meant I was getting sick. Perfect. I'd managed to stay healthy while I was in Morganville, Texas so far, and I had to get sick _now_?! As soon as I got back to the Glass House, I would curl up in bed, and hopefully sleep until noon tomorrow. No way was I going to class feeling like this, and it would probably be ten times worse tomorrow, anyways.

"Claire?" Shane's voice came from Eve's big, black monster of a car. He sounded worried. Oh, God. He'd be launching into over-protective boyfriend mode, again.

I looked up with a weak smile, scrubbing at my face with the heel of my hand. "Hey, Shane. Before you ask, I'm fine. I'm just a little sick, that's all." Standing up, I picked up my backpack, than shoved it into the backseat of the car. "Can we just go home? I really, really don't feel good…." I whispered the last sentence, crawling into the seat before leaning my head against the dashboard. I looked up to glance at him, and instantly regretted that decision.

Shane looked horrified, which was typical behavior for him where I was concerned. "What's wrong?" He asked, his worry leaking through as he watched her with concerned-filled eyes. "Did Monica or Gina or Jen do something to you? I swear to God if they did…."

"Shane! I'm just sick, okay? I used to get sick all the time when I lived at home. I will be fine." I said reassuringly, closing my eyes. "Just… get us home fast so I can go past out in my room." I moaned a little at the aching pain in my head. Christ, it felt like someone was bashing my head in with a baseball bat or something.

"Alright…" He said, his brow furrowing a little as he placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head, then stepped on the gas pedal. He kept glancing at her, concern still clear on his face. "We're here." He said abruptly, five minutes later.

"Good." I said distantly, grabbing my backpack with one hand and jerking it into the front seat. I stepped out of the car, then let out a small groan. Darkness covered my eyes, and then I was gone, underneath a wave of blessed, numb relief.

Getting out of the numbness was _not _fun. My roomates were crowded around me, freaking out. I knew within a few moments where I was and what had happened. My fainting spells always scared my Mom and Dad, too. "Guys, chill, I'm fine." I was aware how irritated my voice sounded, but that didn't really bother me. "Seriously! Leave me alone! I have a kick-ass headache, and I want something to eat so I can take some friggin' medicine!"

"Wow... and I thought I was bitchy." Eve snickered, breaking the awkward silence. "Jeez, Claire Bear, we're just worried about you. I mean, God, you fainted when you got out of the car. Of course we're worried about you, dumb-ass!"

Michael looked bewildered. "I guess you really aren't feeling good." He muttered, mollified. "You aren't fine, Claire. Shane said he found you on the ground, crying. You can't be feeling to great if you were crying, Claire. We're not stupid, so don't treat us like we are. It's kinda obvious that you aren't feeling good, kid."

Shane was silent, holding onto my hand and tracing patterns on my skin very lightly, with the tip of his index finger. "You scared me out there," He said softly, still looking down.

Eve and Michael had managed to disappear so we could have our little discussion.

"Shane, I'm fine, I promise..." I told him, curling into a small ball. "I get sick a lot. I'm used to it; I swear. I don't want you to worry about me, okay? You have no idea how many times I've gotten sick before. It's sort of like a second nature for me. You just get used to it as time goes on."

He looked up at me, his eyes filled with worry, and love. "Look, Claire, you need to listen to me, okay? I'm not going to quit worrying until you get better. I don't like seeing you cry, and I sure as hell don't like you being sick. Do you know how scared I felt when you fainted on the sidewalk? No, you don't. And it isn't going to get better for me as time goes on. Everytime I see you like that, ever again, it's going to be the same. Ill be afraid. I love you to much to see you in _any _kind of pain, Claire. Even if it's just being sick." Shane leaned down, presing his warm, damp, silky lips to my forehead, leaving them there for a few quiet moments before pulling away. "After you eat, you're going to bed." He informed me, grinning a bit. "I hope you don't mind sharing your bed with me, though. I don't plan on leaving you alone for a minute, jail bait."

I glowered at Shane for a moment as Eve and Michael brought in a bowl loaded down with chili. Typical. Ah, but there was a coke, and Tylonol beside that. Maybe, just maybe that numbness would come back for a little while...

**Well, that's it for now. It isn't much, I know, but that's the first Chapter. Leave me love, my chillins!**


	2. Chapter 2 Nightmares

The Tylonol did it's job. As soon as I'd swallowed the pills, I'd felt a blessed, numb relief sliding over me once again. God, did that feel good. Never mind the fact that Shane would probably be going into a panic attack right now. I felt _good _for the first time that day. Granted, I was probably dreaming now, but that was beside the point. If I couldn't feel good in real life, then I could at least feel good in my dreams. No! Shit… the numbness was dragging me under. Gah….

When I woke up, that numbness was gone. I was shivering all over, and I was aware that something warm was lying close to me. I instinctively nestled closer to the source of warmth, and hear Shane's strained chuckle.

"So, the Sleeping Beauty awakens?" He asked in a whisper, pressing a warm kiss to my scorching forehead.

I managed a small smile, than began coughing. "Ow. That hurts." I complained, burying my face in his shirt. "I'm freezing…." I added, shivering violently as I groped for the blanket. A small whimper escaped my lips when I couldn't find it, and a hot, frustrated tear rolled down my burning cheek.

His face softened considerably, and he wrapped the blanket around me, then his arms. "Sh, Claire, don't cry," He said soothingly, pressing his face against my hair. "I can't believe you're cold. You're burning up." Shane's brow furrowed a little as he lifted his face, releasing me for a moment. Before I could whine about that, he pulled back to me, a Coke in his hand. "Drink." He commanded me, holding the icy can to my lips.

My mouth opened obediently, and I swallowed the sweet, icy soda as it was slowly poured into my mouth. A moment later, while the soda was still trapped in my mouth, Shane kissed me, his tongue teasingly licking a few drops of Coke off my tongue. "Eeep!" I wailed in protest, then winced slightly.

"Sorry. Couldn't help myself." Shane snickered, looking down at me with an impish smile.

The glare faded from my eyes, and a smile fell in it's place. "You're lucky you're so loveable." I warned him, closing my eyes again as I nestled closer against his warm body. "Otherwise, I might just have to kick your ass when I get better. Don't worry, though. I'll teach you a lesson as soon as I get better." My voice held a teasing lilt to it, and yet I hoped he would hear the wistfulness in it, too.

Apparently, he had. He looked pleased, yet determined at the same time. "Not until you're eighteen, Claire. I made a promise to your Dad, to you, and to myself. I'm not going back on my word, no matter how tempting you are." His lips pressed against me neck, and a shudder of delight passed through my hormonal sixteen year-old body.

"You tempt me, too…." I pouted as he pulled away, brushing a strand of messy hair out of my eyes. "It isn't fair… and now I'm burning up." Beads of sweat were collecting on my forehead, and squirmed away from him, groaning a little. I shimmied out of my pants, then saw the look on his face as he looked up at the ceiling. "Shane, chill. I'm hot, okay? Just chill."

He nodded wordlessly, closing his eyes quickly as he waited for me to slip out of my sticky clothes.

"Over reacting…." I muttered as I tossed my jeans against the far wall, then adjusted my boy shorts a little. I then took off my shirt, then my bra, just leaving a camisole on, and my underwear. I balled the shirt and bra up, then tossed them towards the wall, too. "I'm finished." I added, wriggling under the sheet, my cheeks tinged pink from embarrassment, and my fever.

Shane's eyes opened, and he looked down at me, lust in his eyes. "Don't look so smug," He warned me as he watched my small smirk play across my lips. His arms snaked around my waist, pulling me towards his chest as he rolled over onto his side. I noticed his hand brush lightly against my thigh, then wrest against the small of my back.

"I don't mind," I assured him, snuggling closer as I closed my eyes. "I think I'm going to try and take another nap. When I wake up, I'll go downstairs and eat." I added before he could turn over-protective again.

He relaxed visible, nuzzling me hesitantly. "No, I'll go get you something from downstairs when you wake up." He objected, pressing a quick kiss to my lips. "I'll be here when you wake up, Claire. Now, go to sleep."

I didn't need to be told twice. Within moments, I was fast asleep, still held in the arms of Shane.

That's when the nightmares began. I was running, running for my life. That much was clear. In Morganville, Texas, you got used to running for your life. I did it almost every day. But, I also knew what I was running from. A vampire, obviously. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that much out. Or a Physics geek, like me. No, this was to easy. But which vampire was I running from? The answer quickly came once the vampire came into view, gracefully loping behind me.

Brandon. Stupid vampire bastard.

He'd been targeting me ever since he had first saw me in Common Grounds. Why me, I still don't know. It's not like I'm that pretty. Well, Shane would argue that point, but only because he was my boyfriend.

"Going somewhere, Claire?" Brandon asked as he appeared in front of me, fangs showing. He grabbed my wrist, lifting it towards his mouth with amusement. This was all a game to him. A game at my expense. A game that I wasn't willing to play. But.... a game you have to play if you live in Morganville.

"Yeah. To see my boyfriend." I snapped, trying to pull away from his tight grip. Of course, he didn't release my wrist. No. He brought it closer.

He tsked. "You should dump him. Now, I can show you a good time." His smirk grew more pronounced as he lifted his wrist to his mouth, then ran his tongue over one of her veins.

"Okay, that's just gross. You need to stop. Now!" I yelped, struggling hopelessly. "Shane! Help! Help me!" I sobbed, tears pouring down my cheeks. "He--"

Brandon sank his teeth into my wrist, and a bloodcurdling scream escaped my lips.

I woke up to Shane shaking me, and Michael and Eve crowded against the edge of my bed, eyes wide.

"Claire! Claire!" Shane shouted, then scooped me up, forgetting the fact I was only wearing panties and a camisole. "God, you were screaming loud enough to wake the dead. No pun intended."

Michael was averting his gaze, staring down at the floor instead of joining Shane's rant.

"Nightmare...." I shuddered, shrinking against his warm chest, wiping at my tearstained face. "About Brandon. I was running from him, and he caught me. I was yelling for you to help me, and he bit my wrist. It hurt..." I whispered, then glanced down at my wrist. Another scream escaped from my lips, and Shane wrapped his arms tighter around me, confused. I lifted my wrist up wordlessly, numb with shock. I was barely aware of the shrieks from Eve, the yells from Shane, or the shouts from Michael. I was falling, and I didn't realize it. I fell limply into Shane's arms, not quite aware of the stinging my wrist was giving off, or the blood that was now staining my bed. I only felt shock, numbness, and fear. How had this happened? It had all been a dream, hadn't it? How could someone harm me in my nightmares? It just wasn't logical....

Several hours later, I felt someone wiping my forehead with a cool wash cloth. I opened my feverish eyes, looking up at Eve. I opened my mouth to speak, but she shook her head warningly.

"No, Claire Bear. Don't talk right now. You've been hallucinating for hours now; you kept screaming, 'My wrist is bleeding, my wrist is bleeding!'. But, Claire, we looked. Nothings wrong with your wrist. It was just nightmares." Her gaze flickered to the door, then back to my face. "I'll be right back. I'm going to have Shane bring you up some food and a Coke. Don't move, okay?"

I nodded.

She disappeared out my door, and I pushed my blanket down to my hips, still aware that I was only wearing panties and my blue camisole. So, that part hadn't been a dream. Just the bleeding wrist part. I shuddered violently, still frightened about that part. That had been way beyond creepy. Scarier than Brandon chasing me and Eve in her black Caddy.

What had the dream meant? What would happen to me the next time I saw Brandon? A small whimper escaped my lips, and a tear rolled down my cheek. As more tears escaped, the sobs began tearing violently out of my chest. I heard feet pounding up the stairs, and worried calls from Shane , Eve, and Michael. Agonized wails began escaping through my lips, and then everything disappeared.

All sounds disappeared from my ears, everything I had just seen in my room was gone.

Everything was dark, blank. I slipped into the darkness, wishing I wouldn't resurface. Hoping that I wouldn't, actually. Morganville was a hell hole. I hated the vampires.

And yet....

I'd miss everything if I didn't resurface.

I would miss Shane, with his warm kisses and love for video games. Eve, with her cute gothyness.... And Michael, for being like the big brother I'd always wanted. I would miss them all.

No one get's their wishes. I should know.

I resurfaced....


	3. Chapter 3 Getting Better

I'd been dreaming again. I should have known better than to trust my over-loaded, nerd mind.

This time, I woke up screaming at the top of my lungs. My reddened eyes were wide open as I sat up, and Shane was staring at me in shock. I shuddered violently, than let out a small cry as I remembered my dream. Before Shane could say anything, I lifted my wrist up, looking at it carefully. There were no signs of it ever being bitten, or even cut, for that matter. I was mystified; how could I dream about something _that _horrible?

"What's wrong?" Shane asked, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into his lap. He ignored the fact I was still in panties and a cami, and I was grateful for that. It saved me from being embarrassed, for now, at least.

"Nightmare. Bad nightmare." I muttered, hiding my tear-stained face in his shirt. "I'm fine now, though. Don't worry about it." I pulled the blanket towards me, refusing to move from his warm body.

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and his hand went to my tousled hair, stroking it back slowly. "Do you want to… talk about it?" The offer was unexpected, and he looked a little embarrassed about asking. Well…. Not embarrassed, exactly. More like indignant, like he didn't want to be laughed at about being concerned about me. Awwww! Shane could be so sweet sometimes!

I felt the smile tug at my lips, and I peered up at him, shaking my head. "No, I'd rather not talk about it right now. Maybe later." I relaxed in his arms, shivering with pleasure as his hand slid up and down my back, but never up my shirt.

"Alright," he said, nodding a bit. He pressed his lips to my forehead, than laid me back down on my bed with a small grin.

I pouted up at him in return.

Shane held up his hands in surrender, chuckling softly. "I'm just going to get you some food, jail bait. I'll be back in ten minutes, tops. I promise." With that, he disappeared out the door, and I snuggled under the blankets, closing my still feverish eyes.

It was times like this that I missed my Mom.

The way she'd always worry about me when I was sick, even if it was just a cold. I got sick a lot, and it really freaked her and Dad out. Well, it freaked Shane out, too. Not a big shocker there. Anything that had to do with my not feeling happy was something for him to worry about. Maybe after I got better, we could finally go on that date he promised me.

Well, that was a nice thought. It actually sounded like fun. A night for us to be alone, and Eve and Michael could have a night alone, too. Wow. That really _did _sound nice.

"Hey, here's your soup and Coke." Shane said suddenly, pushing the door open with his foot. He had a tray in his hands, and a wet washcloth and a bottle of Ibuprofen was sitting next to the bowl. "I thought you could use some medicine since you have a fever." He explained, sitting the tray in my lap before he kicked his shoes and socks off, then nestled under the blankets next me.

My hormones didn't like this. They wanted Shane to be closer, which would have been bad for the both of us. I silently cursed myself, than ladled the chicken noodle soup into the spoon before taking a sip. Mm, the soup tasted really good. "Good soup." I commented, grinning a little before taking swig of Coke.

"It isn't that hard to cook a can of soup, smart ass." He pointed out, sneaking a drink of my Coke when he thought I wasn't looking. "I mean, c'mon! Cooking chili is harder than cooking a can of that shit, and chili is the best damn thing I can make!" He looked teasingly outraged. It really was kind of adorable.

Still, I gave a roll of my eyes. "Just let me finish this soup so I can get drugged up again." I said jokingly, and then pushed the bowl away. "I'll eat the rest later, okay? I'm really not that hungry." I opened the bottle, then dumped two Ibuprofen into my hand. Shane was nice enough to put the lid back on it for me while I took a long drink of my Coke, than swallowed the pills. "Ah… numbness will come soon…" I sighed happily, nuzzling against his chest.

"To bad you won't put some damn pants on." Shane said wryly, nipping playfully at my earlobe. "I kinda like this, though. Except for the fact that you're sick." A frown appeared on his face, and he brushed my hair back, looking unhappy. "That part sucks. I want my jail bait to feel good."

I snickered a little, than glowered into his shirt. "I do feel good, except that I'm sick. I like being in here with you. It makes me feel happier, Shane. Plus, you make me feel better about being sick. You're so adorable when you're worried, Doctor Collins." I teased, giggling quietly.

His answering glare was playful. "I'm the doctor, Miss Danvers. And I say that you should get some sleep. Now." He pressed his lips to mine for a moment, and they felt just as warm and damp as the usually did. Not to mention silky smooth and… NO! Focus, Claire!

"I will…." I murmured drowsily, than laid my head back against the pillows. "Don't leave…." I added through the haze that was beginning to surround me.

"I won't, Claire." He promised, than closed his eyes, too. "I'll sleep in here. See you when you wake up."

I nodded, than closed my eyes and sighed heavily, feeling the darkness began to pull me under.

The oceans of sleep were coming, and within moments, I was underneath them.

Consciousness had faded away. I was now just floating along in the ocean, with no one there. And yet...... I wasn't afraid. I had no reason to be afraid tonight. I was safe with Shane beside me, and I loved him. That was enough for. Hell, that was enough for forever.

Tonight was the first night that I didn't have nightmares while I was sick, but I knew that wouldn't last for very long.


	4. Chapter 4 Supposedly Jail Bait

Ah, sweet bliss. The first morning I hadn't been sick in three days. God, this felt friggin' nice! No way was I going to risk this by going to class today, as much as I wanted to.

By the time I'd officially woken up, I was snuggled against Shane's warm chest, and he'd taken his pants off in the middle of the night. Now, he was in his boxers, and I in panties and a cami. Butt it felt…. Right. Not weird at all, or embarrassing. Complete, maybe. Yes, that was the right word.

I was glad Shane wasn't awake yet. It gave me a chance to study him. Damn, he was so drop dead sexy. His shaggy hair looked so adorable when it was mussed with sleep, and he looked so peaceful. His damp, warm lips looked so inviting…. I couldn't help myself as I lent in and pressed my lips to his, smiling slightly as he woke up with surprise.

Thankfully, he didn't go into total freak out mode. He wrapped his arms around me, than picked me up, continuing to kiss me. I yelped in surprise, my face tinged pink as he draped me over his chest.

I realized the fact that I was now straddling him.

Shane sat up a little, letting his tongue slide into my mouth. What sounded like a growl escaped from him, and he pulled his shirt off as he pulled away for a moment.

Lust filled his eyes as he watched me hesitantly, making sure this was still all right. He should have known better than to act like that. I'd been waiting for forever for him to be willing.

To bad he remembered my age.

"No!" Shane said firmly, moving me off of him. "Absolutely not. No." He pulled his shirt back on, than moved to get off the bed.

Panic struck me.

"Don't leave." I begged quietly, looking up at him. Tears filled my eyes, to my dismay. I really hated crying. "Please? I don't want to have another nightmare if I fall asleep. You… you make me feel safe, Shane." I knew this was a low blow, but it was true. Whenever he was around, I felt safe. Not to mention all warm and fuzzy. And like a girl. Not to mention all the other stuff I felt that I _really _shouldn't have.

Shane looked surprised once again, but he nodded reluctantly and sat back down on the bed. "I'll stay, but I'm not going to sex you up or anything." He said warningly, and I knew that this was my get out of jail free card for the day. Or maybe just the hour... NO! Shut up, Danvers, just shut up.

"I want to go downstairs." I said suddenly, sitting back up. I moved to crawl around Shane, but he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me back to the middle of the bed. "What the hell?" I asked, my eyes narrowing in slight irritation. "I'm hungry, Shane! And I want to go watch a movie or something. Just lemme go already!"

His frown was disapproving as he glowered at me. "Then I'll bring it up to you, Claire. But, fuck no, you aren't going down there yet. You're still sick. I know, I know, you don't feel sick, but you've got that feverish look thingy mah-jiggy in your eyes." He smiled a triumphant smile, pleased with him self.

I was speechless. Honestly, I was surprised that he actually could tell that I was still feverish. He could tell, and he was going to take advantage of that. How typical of Shane, playing to his advantage by shocking me.

"So, I'll just go downstairs and grab you a Coke and a bowl of chili." Shane smirked, than dashed out the door.

"Damn it, Shane!" I yelled after him, than laid back in my bed, closing my eyes. Okay, now I wasn't feeling good anymore. Ugh… I felt like I had yesterday. Why, why couldn't I be like those kids that never get sick? I'd been sick all through my nerdy life, and it sucked some **major, platinum vampire balls**.

Heh, Eve would be proud of that one.

Suddenly, Shane's shaggy head poked in through my door. "Hey, do you want some Ibuprofen or something?" He asked, an earnest smile on his lips. Now, wasn't that sweet? He actually _wanted _to make me feel better. That was more than slightly comforting. It was kinda sweet the way he was so worried about me. It wasn't annoying like I'd expected it to be. At least, not all the time, anyway."

"Yeah, Ibuprofen would be nice." I mumbled, closing my eyes again. "Thanks," I added before he had a chance to pull another Houdini on me.

"No problemo, jail bait." He laughed, and then he vanished again.

I was left waiting in the silence, waiting for my boyfriend to come back to my room. A little moan escaped through my lips, and I curled into a little ball, hiding my flushed face in the cool contents of my pillow. It was strange how things always ended up the same way as before. Whenever I was sick, I always hid in one of my pillows. Sort of like a knee-jerk reaction, once you began to think about it. I liked being comforted by little thoughts such as this. It reminded me of home a majority of the time. Just the fact that my parents weren't here kept me from believing that I was back in my parents' home in Liberty, Texas.

The sudden sound of Shane entering my room startled me a bit. I lifted my head from my pillow, and I heard his sharp intake of breath. The mattress dipped underneath his weight as he sat down next to me, then put his cool hand on my forehead.

"Jeez, kiddo, you're burning up…." He murmured, moving his hand to stroke my hair away from me face.

"I feel hot…" I mumbled, inching closer to him. "I want some Coke, though. Maybe that will help a little."

He lifted the fizzy drink to my lips, tilting the glass back a little, and I obediently drank. I groaned a little in pleasure as the icy drink slipped down my throat, and it soothed me a little. I drank greedily, disappointed when he moved the glass.

"Chill, Claire. You'll want to drink more after you eat some chili." He chided, smiling a bit as he spooned up a small bite of chili. "Open wide, babe."

Wow. He was actually going to _feed _me.

"Eh… I can feed myself." I protested, trying to take the spoon from him. But, being Shane, of course, he was going to be stubborn about this.

Shane looked amused, but he tried to hide that with an indignant look instead. "Are you kidding me?! " He asked, pretending to be outraged. "What kind of asshole do you think I am? No, when my girl is sick, I shall take care of her. I'm shocked you haven't realized that already." Than, in typical Shane behavior, he took advantage of my open mouth to spoon in a bite of chili.

Oh, yeah, I wasn't exactly happy. But, I wasn't unhappy, either.

It felt kind of nice, being fed by my boyfriend. I swallowed the bite willingly, closing my eyes as the warmth of the chili traveled down my throat. It actually felt like I could feel the warmth settle it my stomach.

All in all, it was a pretty good feeling. And, how could I complain when I had a sexy boy feeding my willingly?

If it were you, wouldn't you be ecstatic if you were in my position?

Of course you would.

Now, all I had to do was finish this chili, and I could go back to sleep.

Mmm… sleep. That really, really sounded nice.


	5. Chapter 5 Freaking Out

* * *

The first few spoonfuls of chili had tasted so delicious, and the Coke felt good, too. It wasn't until the fifth tiny spoonful into I felt nauseous. I tore myself away from Shane, than ran into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind me. Locking it swiftly, I threw myself in the direction of the toilet, than was immediately sick. Oh, my God…. I hadn't felt so horrible in forever…. This wasn't my normal fever-headache sick. No, this was something else all together. Damn it to hell…. This was going to be absolutely God-awful.

Shane's fist beat against the bathroom door, and he began yelling through it. "Claire, open the door! Shit! Yo, Eve! Get your ass in there and make sure she's okay!"

I heard Eve pounding up the stairs, Michael directly behind her. Oh, God. If I thought they were going to freak out before, it was nothing compared to what I was about to face.

"Claire Bear? Do you want to let me in?" Eve asked worriedly, knocking quietly at the door. I could vaguely hear her shushing Shane and Michael, who were arguing lowly beside her.

I flushed the toilet, than pressed my cheek against the cool bathroom floor. "No… I'm fine. I just want to lay here for a little while…." I closed my eyes, curling into a small ball. "Plus, I don't have any pants on, either."

Everything went quiet outside of the door, and than I heard Eve's knocking again. "I've got your pants in my hand, Claire. Just let me in, and than we can get you back to bed. You need to rest, chickie. Trust me, hun; you're pretty damn sick."

I managed to reach up and unlock the door, and Eve slipped in, shutting the door behind her.

"Fuck." She said, blinking in surprise. "You look like shit, CB. Now, c'mon, let's get you back in your pants and than back to bed." She knelt down beside me, holding out my pants. I accepted them with a shaking hand, than managed to wriggle into them.

"I'm ready." I said a few minutes later, leaning against the sink for support. As I glanced at the mirror, I cringed at my reflection and how pale I looked. Vampire pale. Unnatural.

Eve nodded, smiling encouragingly, and helped me walk out the door. Shane and Michael were standing there, both of them looking tense. As he saw me come out of the bathroom, Shane's face softened considerably, and he pulled me to him, and I snuggled against his chest.

"Let's get you back to bed." He said hoarsely, then scooped me up, ignoring the shock on my face.

I began to protest and wriggle to get back down on the ground. "I can walk—"

"Just shush, Claire. It's not that far," He chuckled, kissing my forehead as Eve and Michael drifted back to the stairs and the living room.

"Fine…." I muttered, than shut my eyes, resting my head against his chest. I was exhausted, and I felt like shit. For now, I just wanted to go lay back down with Shane and try not to think about eating. Or barfing. Ewww…. It was making me sick just thinking about that. I struggled to distract myself, and began speaking again. "Will you stay with me? You don't have to if you don't want too, though."

Right as I opened my eyes, I saw Shane roll his.

"Claire, quit being weird. You know that I'll stay with you." Shane laughed as he walked through my bedroom door, than slowly laid me down on my bed. "Provided that we can watch TV, of course." He smirked down at me, and my eyes narrowed slightly. Fine. If he wanted to watch TV, we would watch TV. But, it would be the show that _I _wanted to watch. Not his.

I smiled sweetly, nodding. "Of course, Shane. There's only one, teeny-tiny condition. We get to watch Bones, and you can be jealous of the all-sexy David Boreanaz."

Shane's face darkened a little, and a playful growl escaped from him. "Fine. But I'm sexier than whoever-the-hell-you-just-named. You know that, jail bait."

"Ugh. David Boreanaz." I said slowly, giving a teasing roll of my eyes. "Oh, fine. You _**are **_sexier than him, Shaneykinz." A blush appeared on my face, and I giggled reluctantly before burying my face in the pillow.

"Shaneykinz?! What the fuck?!" He laughed, tousling my hair. "Is that the thanks I get for calling you jail bait, than? Gah, Claire, wait to be a sweetheart." He snickered, than laid down next to me, nuzzling my shoulder.

Oh, yeah. That felt really nice.

"Do you mind if I go to sleep for a little while?" I asked suddenly, looking up. My face was, once again, flushed from my fever. I watched his eyes fill with concern, and then he smiled a sweet smile down at me.

His voice was soft when he spoke. "Don't worry, Claire. You can sleep for as long as you want to. I'll take care of you. I always will." His warm, damp lips pressed against my forehead for a moment, and than he wrapped his arms around my waist, snugly pulling me against his chest.

All in all, I was nice and cozy now. "Thanks. I love you…." I murmured, closing my eyes as I rested my head against his toned chest.

"No problem, jail bait. I… I love you, too." He whispered, squeezing me gently. "I'll be right here if you need anything. If I fall asleep and you wake up, I expect you to wake me up, too, alright?"

I nodded my consent, than yawned softly as sleep pulled me under.

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Several foggy hours later, I awoke from my slumber. My eyes rose drowsily to look at Shane, only to find that he was fast asleep. A smile quirked on my lips, and I didn't have the heart to wake him. He just looked so adorable when he slept... It had to be a sin to be that sexy.

After a few more moments of just watching Shane, I closed my eyes again, figuring I would sleep for a few more hours until Shane woke up. I could vaguely hear Michael and Eve in Eve's room, murmuring quietly to each other. No doubt they were picking out what they would name their children, when they had any. I couldn't help but grin at that thought, but re-closed my eyes as they stopped speaking. That, or they had begun to whisper.

After several more minutes of trying, I finally fell back asleep, and began dreaming. There were bright colors everywhere, and vast pools of icy water. My eyes studied these things curiously, and I leant forward to pluck a strange looking flower from a bush. The flower tried to bite my hand, than I dropped it before I took off running. I suppose dreams like these should scare me a bit more, but they don't.

It's actually kind of amusing, if you think about it the right way.


	6. Chapter 6 Bourbon Street?

**Alrighty! After foreverrrrrrrrrrr, here is chapter 6! ENJOY!**  


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When I woke up, Shane was smiling down at me, his hair messy with sleep. I smiled back drowsily as a huge yawn escaped my lips, and then his lips were on mine. Shane's lips were warm and damp and so silky soft… they felt wonderful after my long nap. As he finally pulled away, I whimpered a little and tried to drag him back, but he just had to be stronger than me.

"Calm it down, Claire." He whispered into my ear, and I wriggled a little as I felt my face slip into a pout.

I licked my lips tentatively, glowering up at him. "You're not being very nice," I informed him, turning away playfully. "I just got better. The least you could do is let me kiss you some more…" When I said this, I sighed, purposely making my lower lip tremble. "You hate me, Shane!"

His expression grew horrified, and he quickly leant down and pressed his lips to my forehead. After a moment, though, he saw that I was joking. "Damn it, Claire. That wasn't funny!" But, after a moment, he grinned and pressed his lips to my neck, nibbling lightly.

"Nnn… Shane…" I moaned quietly, tilting my head back a bit. I squirmed a bit, then yelped quietly as he bit down gently. His head rose, and he stared at me worriedly.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" He asked, his dark eyes filled with love, lust, and concern.

I shook my head quickly, flashing a shaky smile up at him. "No, you just surprised me. It… it felt nice." I admitted sheepishly, my cheeks flushing a deep red with my embarrassment. I squirmed a little as his warm body pressed against me, my cheeks flushing a deeper shade of red. Damn it. I really, _**really **_needed to learn how to control that. I hated it when people knew I was embarrassed. Of course, Shane was another matter, but still…. This just meant that he knew what I liked, and what I _**liked**_. That made him extremely dangerous, to me at least.

An impish smile appeared on Shane's lips, and a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes as he nuzzled back to my neck, flicking his tongue over my scorching flesh. I hissed slightly, tilting my head back with a soft whimper, silently yearning for him to continue. I heard him chuckle quietly, then continue his assault on my neck as parts of me began tingling inside of me, parts I'd only ever warmed up on my own.

"Like that don't you, jail bait?" He murmured in my ear, nibbling lightly on my earlobe.

I moaned in response, then let out a surprised yell as Eve began pounding on the door.

"SHANE MATTHEW COLLINS! GET YOUR FUCKING ASS OUT OF CLAIRE"S ROOM NOW, OR I WILL KILL YOU TONIGHT!"

"Obnoxious much…." I muttered, my cheeks flaming as Shane stood up, facing the window.

He chuckled once, shaking his head. "Put some pants on." He added absently, tossing a pair of sweats at me. I caught them before they hit me in the face, glowering lightly.

"Am I not allowed to wear shorts anymore?" I grumbled, pulling the dark gray sweats up quickly. I personally didn't see what was wrong with wearing shorts when you lived in Texas, considering it was always hot.

"Nope." Shane said simply, turning around and pressing his lips to my forehead for a moment. "C'mon, jail bait. Let's go downstairs and you can get some food in you." He smiled briefly, then grabbed my wrist, towing me out my door before I could protest. "Don't fall." He added teasingly as he tugged me down the stairs behind him. In return, I glared at his back, then pulled free of his grasp once we got to the living room.

"Dick." I muttered, plopping down in Michael's chair with a huff. I glared down at the floor, surprised at my sudden mood swing. I didn't like getting teased about stairs, though. I mean, come on! I got shoved down one flight of stairs, and I had almost fallen down them in front of Shane before, too.

A moment later, I felt Shane scoop me up, and I repressed a squeal as he sat down in the chair, then placed me down on his lap. I giggled reluctantly, curling up against him with a sigh of contentment. With that, my sudden mood swing was gone.

Shane's hand moved to stroke lightly at my hair, and I heard him yawn after a moment. "Gah. I want to go do something." He said suddenly, and I peered up at him in confusion. Really, what was there to do in Morganville, besides avoid getting eaten by vamps?!?!

"Erm… We could take a road trip?" Claire volunteered tentatively, nibbling lightly on her lower lip. "Amelie was saying that I should go out of town for a week or two…"

Eve and Michael suddenly entered the room, both smiling brightly. "Let's go to New Orleans for a couple weeks!" Eve suggested, looking excited. "We can take Claire down on Bourbon Street, and maybe we can get some beads!" She laughed at that part, crossing over to sit on the couch with a sweet smile on her lips. Michael sat down beside her, nodding fervently.

"We should go. I've always wanted to go down on Bourbon Street." Michael said thoughtfully. "And Eve and Claire could go see Anne Rice's house."

Eve's excited scream was so loud, I buried my face in Shane's chest.

"YES! YES YES YES YES YES! I GET TO GO SEE ANNE RICE'S HOUSE! YAY FOR MEH!!!!"

I looked up at Shane with a laugh, tilting my head to the side. "So… how does New Orleans sound to you?" I asked innocently, wiggling my eyebrows a little bit as I licked my lips swiftly.

"Fuck. Yes." Shane said solemnly, then bent down and pressed his lips against mine.

"HEY! Save it for Bourbon Street, you love birds!" Eve yelled out, then jumped up, grabbing my hand and jerking me out of Shane's lap. "Go on, little cookie! Go pack! Now!" She swatted at my ass, and I squealed and ran for the stairs as fast as I could. "Pack some bikinis and lingerie, too." Eve murmured as we jogged up the stairs. "You can borrow some of mine if you need to."

I froze, then grinned widely.

"Bring on the sex and alcohol."

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**It's short, I know! But everyone has been wanting the 6th chapter, so here it ish.  
I know, it's weird I'm having them go to New Orleans. But, I recently got back from there, and I absolutely loved it. Anne Rice's old house was immaculate.  
GO TO NEW ORLEANS!**

**AND REVIEW THIS!  
**


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